The official gateway to Devon museums

Ilfracombe Museum

Ilfracombe museum is full of the curious and the wonderful!
We have a fascinating and eclectic collection arranged over eight rooms; there is something here for everyone. Highlights of the collection include drawers of insects and butterflies from Britain and around the world.

We have African, Asian and South American exhibits too. Closer to home, find out about Ilfracombe’s seafaring past in the Maritime room, and the history of our town in the Ilfracombe gallery. There is a ship-to-shore radio station where you can have a go at tapping out Morse code, and handling objects for younger visitors.
Researchers can access our archives, on purchasing a researcher's ticket. The museum has a great value shop stocked with jewellery, children's toys, books, gems and minerals.
Ilfracombe museum is a self-supported charity trust and your entrance fee directly supports our work. Winner of a Tripadvisor Certificate of Excellence 2017.

Palmer Room

The Palmer Room is dedicated to the museum's founder Mervyn Grove Palmer and contains items from Africa & South America. Including an 12' python, African beadwork and ethnography and South American pottery. African items were donated by the Victorian collector Mr Charles Peel.

Maritime Room

Find paintings and treasures from Ilfracombe's seafaring past, including beautiful model ships. Have a go on our ship to shore radio console, where you can tap out a message in Morse code. Explore the handling drawers.

Social History

Ilfracombe museum has an important and extensive collection of First World War photos and letters of men and women from our town who served their country. Contact us to find out more.

Main gallery

Ilfracombe museum has a fine Victorian museum cabinet as the centrepiece of its main gallery, made in Barnstaple by Shapland and Petter. This gallery is inspired by the Victorian collectors, and has cabinets full of insects, butterflies, dried seaweeds, fossils and wedding cake!

Exotic Butterflies

Ilfracombe museum was founded in 1932 and out first curator, Mervyn Palmer, worked as a private collector in South America as a young man. Many of his specimens form part of our collection, including butterflies which he collected in the field.

Ilfracombe Museum Trust CIO is an independent charity (Reg No: 1169969), which is not funded by the Local Authority. We rely on the generosity of our visitors and supporters through admission fees, shop sales and donations.

Your ticket price includes a voluntary donation of 10% to Ilfracombe Museum. If you are a taxpayer, we can claim an extra 25% on top of your admission charge from the Taxman, when you complete a Gift Aid Form.

Information

Disabled access with exhibits on one level. Parking outside the museum in pay and display car park Toilet ( not disable accessible) Cafe and disabled toilet next door at Landmark Theatre

Disabled access:
We are on one level throughout, and all but one small gallery is wheelchair and mobility scooter accessible. We have free audio guides for those who have difficulty reading text. There is pay and display parking right outside the museum.